Manufacture of electric incandescent lamps and the like



March 26, 1929, J, J, 'HIG'GINS 1,706,882

MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRIC INCANDESCENT LAMPS AND THE LIKE Filed July 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JQMN11fflGCHWS March 26, 19 29. J. J. HIGGINS 1,706,332

' miumcwunn OF ELECTRIC momnnscmm wars mm THE 'LIKE Filed July 20. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \HHHHHHHI IHHIM Flags- INVENTOR JOHN J. HIGGINS ATTORNEY- I reamed Mar. '26, 1929.

UNITED STA TES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH HIGGINS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE LAMP COEPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

IANUI'AOTUBE OI ELECTRIC INCANDESCENT LAIIS AND 1.11m

Application fled July '20,

This invention relates to the manufacture of electric incandescent lamps and the like and more particularly to the automatic sealing-in and evacuation of lamps on one machine.

An object of my invention is the provision of a machine for automatically sealing mounts into bulbs, exhausting said bulbs and tipping-off without intermediate handling.

Another object of my invention is the automatic sealing-in andexhausting of electric incandescent lamps and the like.

A further object of my invention is the 1 5 simplification of the manufacture of lamps whereby the mount and bulb are placed in a machine and emerge therefrom sealedin, exhausted and ready for the base to be applied thereto.

ther objects and advantages will be apparent upon reading the following description.

Two machines have ordinaril been employed for the operations of sea ing-in and exhausting. That is, the mount is sealed into the bulb on one machine and then manually transferred to another machine where the exhausting and tipping-off operations are performed. This method obviously entails an undesired amount of manual labor and it is desirable to combine the two machines into one which is adapted to perform all of said operations.

According to my invention, I am enabled :5 to make electric incandescent lamps, glow lamps and the like in which the operations of sealing-in, exhausting and other steps may be performed, automatically on one machine or unitary structure which may. be

. termed a head, without intermediate handling. Primarily, my method of sealingin and exhaust comprises placin a mount in a chuck and a bulb in a hol er so that they occupy proper relative positions. The

bulb is caused to revolve, the mount remaining stationary. The neck of the bulb is then heated, as by gas fires, until it contracts nearly to the flare of the mount. The

fires are then shut off and the bulb stopped.

The mount is then raised a small distance and the bulb-neck pulled down from the bulb, causin it to contract further until it cont-acts wit and is fused to the flare of the mount by sealing fires.

The cullet, that is the part of'the neck be- 1922. Serial No. 570,215.

yond the seal, is cut ofi by punching and sealing fires and the seal between the mount and bulb may be stretched, while the lass is still soft at the juncture, b pulling own on the mount or exhaust tu e thereof. A connection with a vacuum pump, such as an oiled rubber tube',,may then be forced over the exhaust tube, and the lam bulb exhausted to the desired degree. T e sealed-in lamp may be raised an amount sufiicient to allow a tipping-off fire to act conveniently on the exhaust tube, or a contraction thereon, and the lamp is tipped off.

My invention will best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof and in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portionof a combined-sealing and exhaust machine;

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of the machine showing the operative relation between the bulb-holder, the mount chuck and the cam disc for actuating the several elements thereof in proper sequence;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cam disc and connected parts;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fires for shaping, sealing. and tipping off the lamp; 3,11

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the exhaust tube gripping mechanism.

In the' form ofmachine shown in the drawings, the various parts of the device constitute a unitary structure or headwhich may be mounted on a table or support 1 and actuated in, definite relation to each other from a driving motoror other suitable source of power not shown) which may be suitably connecte as by means of gears or belts, to the driving shafts 2 and 3.

Shaft 2, adapted for drivin the controlling cam disc 4, may be provi ed with gear or pulley 5 for connection, through a worm drive or other reduction gearing (not shown), to the driving motor. It is obvious that a cam drum may be used instead of a cam disc, if desired, within the spirit of myinvention. The other end of said shaft 2 is provided with ear 6 in mesh with the toothed portion% of the cam disc 4. The cam disc 4 revolves slowly about its shaft 8. On the upper surface ofthe cam disc 4, is provided a cam 9 for actuating bell crank 10 11c suitably pivoted at 11. Bellcrank is connected to gear 12, splined to driving shaft 3. to move it longitudinally thereon, into and out of operative engagement with gear 13 on jack shaft 14.

Gear 12 is normally held in engagement with gear 13 by compression spring 15 which acts between the same and collar 16 rigid on shaft 3. lVhen cam 9, upon rotation ofcam disc 4, actuates bell crank 10, the gear 12 is moved longitudinally of shaft 3 and thrown out of engagement with gear 13. Gear or pulley 17 is fastened on shaft whereby it rotates in unison with the bulbholder 21. Extending from the head casting 26 are bars or standards 28 upon which .slide housings 29 for bulb-neck jaws 31.

The bulb-neck jaws 31 are adapted to be moved by hand to engage resiliently, or disengage the neck of the bulb 22 and may be constructed and arranged to operate as described and claimed in my application Serial No. 475,086, filed June 4, 1921, and as-.

signed to the Westinghouse Lamp Company. Connected to the housing 29 for the purpose of controlling the movement thereof, are bars or rods 32 connected, at their lower ends, to ring 33.

Cam disc 4 is provided with an annular cam 34, Fig. 3, for actuating cam lever 35 at proper intervals. Cam lever 35 is connected by means of link 36, Fig. 2, to lever 37 pivoted at 38 to bracket 39. The other end of the lever 37, from that to which the link 36 is connected, is pivoted to sliding ring or collar 33 for the purpose of raising or lowering 'the bulbneck 'aws 31, Fig. 1.

Cam disc 4 isalso provi ed with an annular cam 41, Fig. 3, for actuating cam lever 42 at proper intervals. Cam lever 42 is connected, by means of link 43, Fig. 2, to lever 44 pivoted at 45 to bracket 39. The free end of this lever 44 is pivoted to collar 46, connected to mount chuck sleeve 47 for the purpose of raising or lowering the same.

Cam disc 4 is provided with annular cam 48 for operating cam lever 49. The cam lever 49 is connected, by means of link 51, Fig. 2, to lever .52 pivoted at 53 to bracket 39.

The free end of lever 52 is pivoted to collar 54 on chuck housing 55 which is adapted tosupport and move, up or down, a mount 56, Fig. 1, for the so-called tipless type of lamps supported on mount rest 57, rigidly connected to the upper end of chuck housing 55. The mount is provided with an exhaust tube 59 which is employed to provide connection between the interior of the bulb and a vacuum pump after the sealing-in operation has been performed. Mount chuck housing 55 is provided with jaws 58 actuated by sleeve 47 for the purpose of clamping around exhaust or contractiontube 59 of mount 56. The jaws 58 may be arranged to sprin outwardly and release the exhausttu e 59 when the sleeve 47 is moved upwardly relative to housing 55. Exhaust tube gripping mechanism is more clearly shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates the jaws 58 as comprising cylindrical members movable in a suitable aperture 58 in a direction transverse to the axial line of the device. the aperture being suitably positioned in the upper end of a housing 55. The jaws 58 are normally urged toward an exhaust tube by springs 59' positioned between inner ends of the jaws and the ends of pins 68', the opposite ends of the pins being positioned to engage with tapered surface 61' of the sleeve 47, thus when the sleeve is moved relative to the housing 55, the pins are moved inwardly to compress the springs 59' and engage the jaws with an exhausttube. An opposite actuation of the sleeve 47 effects a release of the exhaust tube.

Cam disc 4 is provided with cam 61, Fig. 3, for actuating cam lever 62 at proper intervals. Cam lever 62, as well as cam levers 35, 42 and 49, may be pivoted on a common bearing shaft 63, the levers 35 and 49 each being provided with a dow'nwardly extending cam 35 and 49 on "he same side of the shaft 63 as the connection with their respective links, and the levers 42 and 62 each being provided with a downwardly extending cam on the opposite side of said shaft. Cam lever 62 is connected, by means of link 64, Fig. 2, to lever 65 pivoted at 66 to bracket 39. Levers 37, 44, 52 and 65 may be provided, respectively, with tension springs 67, 68, 69 and 71, for the purpose of cansing the cam levers 35, 42, 49 and 62, respectively, to engagethe cam disc 4 or the cams thereon at all times. The free end of lever 65 is connected to collar 72 on exhaust pipe 7 3. The upper end of exhaust pipe 73 is provided with an oiled rubber tube 74, Fig. 1, adapted to be slipped over exhaust tube 59 for the purpose of exhausting bulb 22. Chuck sleeve 47 is splined to mount chuck bracket 75, whereby longitudinal motion of mount chuck is permitted and rotation of the same is prevented.

Driving shaft 2, Fig. 2, is provided with a loosely mounted annular member 76 formed with a tooth 77 and an arm 78 connected by spring 79 to main operating knife switch 81 for the purpose of cutting out the circuit to the'driving motor when lug 82 on cam disc 4 engages tooth 77. y

The gas-pipe arrangements whereby fires are provided for shaping, sealing, punching and tipping off the bulb are shown in Fig. 4. Two shaping fires 83 and 84 are provided for softening the neck of the bulb 22 the flare of the mount, thereby starting a separation of the cullet from the bulb. The cullet may then be entirely detached from the bulb by the action of the sealing fires and the downward motion of the bulb-neck jaws 81. A tipping-oil fire 92 may also be provided. The several sets of burners may be manually controlled by actuation of suitable valves. The burners 83 and 84 for softening the neckof the bulb may be controlled by a valve 84' controlling an inlet 85' the sealingiu fires 85, 86, 87 and 88 may be controlled. by a valve 88 in the path of an inlet 89. The burners 89 and 91 for puncturing the cullet may be regulated by a valve 91- controlling inlet 92" and the tipping-oil fire 92 1 may be regulated by a valve 93. It will be readily appreciated that the valves may be adjusted so that the same will close to a degree just suflicient. to permit a small flame to burn when the fires are not used or in operation.

All of these fires may be arranged so that they may be turned on full at the proper times or turned nearly oil, so that merely pilot lights are provided, from the same cam disc 4 which-governs the o eration of the mount rest, bulb-holder an related parts by suitable similar cams and cam, levers in a similar manner. The actual mechanism a for governing the fires and turning a valve between the vacuum pump and the exhaust pipe 73 from the cam disc 4 is not illustrated, as it would merely complicate the drawings and show well understood details, almost identical to those shown for governing the movement of the lamp.

The operation of my machine for both sealing-in and exhaust may be as follows. The machine is started from a position where the chuck sleeve 47, Fig. 1, is raised so that an exhaust tube 59 may be inserted between the jaws 58. A mount 56 is placed on the mount rest 57, with its exhaust tube 59 extending through the mount rest- 57, jaws 58 and into proximity to the rubber tube 7 4 on the end of the exhaust pipe 73. It should be noted that this machine is especially adapted for lamps of the type known as tipless lamps,-wherein the mount is provided with an exhaust tube for the purpose of evacuating the lamp bulb. The bulb 22 may then be applied over the mount 56 and rest in the bulb holder 21. The bulb-neck jaws 31 are separated to allow the bulb neck to be inserted therebetween and are then released to resiliently hold the same between them.

In order to prevent the bulb cracking on account of nonuniform heating thereof, a gentle fire from a suitable burner22' may be allowed to play upon the top of the same for the purpose of gradually heating it. All the fires may be lighted so that they burn merely as pilot lights. The switch 81, Fig. 2, may then be closed to start the driving motor and revolve the bulb, the mount remaining stationary. The cam disc 4 is also caused to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, and allow the fires 83 and 84, Fig. 4, to be on full a suflicient length of time to heat and soften the bulb neck until it contracts about the flare of the mount, assuming substantially the form shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The rotation of the bulb will then be stopped by the action of cam 9 on bell-crank lever 10. By this time, the cam disc 4 will neck jaws housing 29 will be pulled down,

causing the bulb-neck to contract further until it contacts with, and is fused to, the flare of the mount by the sealing fires 85, 86, 87 and/88, Fig, 4, which are turned on full at that time. Punching fires 89 and 91 are then turned on full to force holes in the neck of the bulb immediately below the line of fusion between the flare of the mount and the contracted portion of the bulb neck.

The process of cutting oil the cullet of the bulb-neck, started b the punching fires 89 and 91, will be finis ed by the sealing fires 85, 86, 87 and 88 and the cullet is removed. When a bulb is raised just prior'to the time when the tipping-oil operation is performed, the cullet which will remain between the jaws 31 may be broken by the operator and thus removed or the cullet may remain encircling the mount support until afterthe exhausting operation and may be removed when the bulb has been removed from the machine by an operator using a pair of pinchers. Mount chuck housing 55 then moves downward while the seal is still plastic and pulls on exhaust tube 59 by means of jaws 58and thereby stretches the seal. 1E1- haust tube 59 may then be connected to a the exhaust pipe 73 rises further, raising the sealed-in lamp above the mount rest 57 and exposing the exhaust tube 59 to the action of tipping-off fire 92. The .machine may then be automatically stopped by the action of lug 82 on tooth 77 to open switch 81.

Any suitable means may be provided for removing lamps from the machine as they are tipped-off or this may be done by hand.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a machine for automatically sealing-in and exhausting a lamp or the like and a machine in which a mount and bulb may be placed and which automatically heats the neck of the bulb until it contacts around the flare of the mount, raises the mount, stretches the bulbneck to cause it to contract further, seals the contracted portion of the bulb neck to the flare-of the mount, perforates the neck below the seal, cuts ofl the cullet after perforation, stretches the seal, connects the exhaust tube to a means for evacuating the lamp, exhausts the lamp and raises the same to allow a suitable tipping-off fire to complete the sealing-in and exhaust operation.

Although I have described in detail what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that the same is merely illustrative and that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lamp-making machine comprising a head for supporting a bulb, means for rotating the head and bulb, means for heating the neck of the bulb during rotation, a holder associated with said head tomaintain a lamp mount having an exhaust tube stationary with respect to and within said bulb, means for elongating the bulb neck to contract the heated portion of the bulb to bring the same in contact with said lam mount for union therewith, means for ex austing the bulb after said union, means movable in said head for connecting said exhaust tube to the exhausting means, and means for tipping-ofl exhausted bulb.

2. A lamp-making machine comprising a head for supporting a bulb, means for rotating said head and bulb, means for heating a portion of the neck of said bulb during rotation to contract a portion of said neck, a stationary mount support positioned to hold a lamp mount having an exhaust tube within the neck of and adjacent to the said contracted portion, means for terminating the rotation of said bulb, means-for changing the relative positions of said mount and bulb to bring the contracted portion of said bulb and a portion of said mount into engagement for sealing together, means movable in said head for connecting the exhaust tube of the mount to means for exhausting the bulb and means for tipping-off the exhausted bulb.

3. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising mechanism for automatically fusing a mount having an exhaust tube into the neck of a bulb, means actuated in definite time relation to said mechanism whereby a relative movement is produced between said bulb and mount while the joint between them is plastic and means for automatically connecting said exhaust tube with means for exhausting said bulb.

4. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising means for fusing a mount in the neck of a bulb, said mount having an exhaust tube, a mount support arranged to grip said exhaust tube for movement relatively to said bulb and means for moving said support relatively to said bulb while the joint between said mount and said bulb is plastic and means for automatically connecting said exhaust tube to an exhaust system for exhausting said bulb.

5. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising a bulb holder and a mount support for receiving an exhaust tube of a tipless lamp mount to normally hold the mount in position for sealing-in, burners for fusing the mount to the neck of a bulb in said holder and actuating means arranged to move said bulb holder and said mount support away from each other while the fused portion is plastic, means for cutting off the cullet of the bulb and means movable in said head for connecting an exhaust system to the exhaust tube of the mount 6. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising a bulb-holder, a mount support for holding a mount having an exhaust tube in proper relation to the neck of a bulb, said support being mounted to move longitudinally of said head, means for holding the mount immovable with respect to said support, means for rotating the bulb, burners mounted to heat the neck of said bulb, means for terminating the rotation of said bulb, means for shutting ofi said burners, means for raising the mount, means for pulling down the bulb neck to fuse the same to the mount, means for cuttin oil' the bulb neck below the point of fusion with the mount, means for pulling down the mount to stretch the seal between it and the bulb and means movable longitudinally of said head for connecting said exhaust tube to an exhaust system.

7. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising means for sealing a mount having an exhaust tube to a bulb, means .for supporting a bulb, means" for securing the mount by the exhaust tube for alignment within the bulb, means for cutting off the neck of the bulb beyond the seal, means for stretching the seal, means movable in said head for connecting said exhaust tube to an III exhaust system, and means for tipping ofi at the exhaust tube. v

8. A combined sealing-in and exhaust device comprising means for automatically fusing a mount'having an exhaust tube to the neck of a bulb, means actuated in definite time relationwhereby a relative movement is produced between said bulb and mount while the joint between them is plasly connecting said exhaust tube to an exhaust system for exhausting said bulb, means for raising said exhausted lamp and means for tipping off at the exhaust tube thereof.

10. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising means for fusing a mount to the neck of a bulb, a mount support in said head, means within said head to grip said mount and move the same relatively to said bulb while the joint between said mount and said bulb is plastic, means for automatically connecting the bulb with an exhaust system and means for tippin said bulb without removing the same the head.

11. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprising means for supporting a,

bulb and a mount having an exhaust tube in proper relation to each other, burners mounted to direct fires towards said head to fuse themount into the bulb and means adapted to be operated to cause the efi'ect .of said burners to decrease when fusion has been effected, means within said head for producing a relative movement between themount and a bulb supported in said head While the fused portions are plastic, means movable in said head for'connecting said exhaust tube to an exhaust system for automaticall exhausting said bulb, and means .for' tippmg ofl said bulb.

12. A combined sealing-in and exhaust subscribed my name this 19th device comprising a bulb holder, a mount support arranged to normally hold a mount having an exhaust tube in position for a sealing-in operation, burners for fusing the mount into the neck of the bulb, actuating means arranged to move said bulb holder and said mount support away from each other while the joint is plastic, means for cutting off the cullet of the bulb, means movable in said head for connecting an exhaust system to the exhaust tube of the mount, exhausting and raising the lamp and meansfor tipping off at said exhaust tube.

13. A combined sealing-in and exhaust head comprisin a bulb holder, amount support for hol ing a mount having an exhaust tube in proper relation to the neck of a bulb, said support being mounted to move longitudinally of said head, means for holding the mount immovable with respect to said support, means for rotating the bulb, burners mounted to heat the neck of said bulb, means for stopping the rotation of said bulb, means for shutting off said burners, means movable in said head .for raising the mount, means movable in said head for pulling down the bulb neck to fuse the same to the mount, means for-cutting olf the bulb neck beyond the point .of fusion with the mount, means movable longitudinally of said head for pulling down the mount to stretch the seal between it and the bulb, means movable in said head for automatically connecting said exhaust tube to an exhaust system andmeans for tipping off said sealed-1n lamp.

'14. A combined sealin -in and exhaust head comprising means f br rotatably supporting a bulb, means for holding a mount having an exhaust tube in proper relation to said bulb, means for rotating the bulb in: dependent of said mount, means for heating the neck of the bulb, means for stopping the rotation of the bulb and means within said head for causing relative movement between the bulb and the mount'whereby the'mount is sealed thereto and means movable in said head .for connecting the sealed-in bulb to means for evacuating the same.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto JOHN JOSEPH HIGGINS.

day of July, 

